Spring Thaw Season: Key Dates for Heavy Truck Operators

That’s right! Winter is coming to an end and warmer weather is slowly arriving. However, with rising temperatures comes the thaw period.

Once again this year, the Ministry of Transport of Quebec would like to remind heavy vehicle users and shippers that authorized load limits are reduced during the thaw period on all public roads.

Here are the dates to remember for the 2022 thaw period:

Zone 1 — From Monday, March 7 to Friday, May 6
Zone 2 — From Monday, March 14 to Friday, May 13
Zone 3 — From Monday, March 21 to Friday, May 20

The announced dates may change depending on weather conditions.

Useful information

During the thaw period, roads are 30% to 70% more fragile than usual. A single overloaded vehicle can cause significant damage. However, a slight reduction in loads greatly reduces the damage to the pavement. This is why load restrictions are imposed on heavy vehicles during the thaw period. In general, these restrictions range from 8% to 20%.

*Source: Ministry of Transport of Quebec.*